Phoebe was the GB women’s contact captain for several years now and has been playing the American football for more than 15 years. Now an ambassador for American football she has gone from little experience to being an intern coach at the most elite level, in the NFL, with the Buffalo Bills. She says, “it has become my life’s work to help create opportunities for others and give back to a country that has been a massive part of my journey.”
EARLY YEARS
How did you first get involved in your sport?
Originally I saw an ad on Facebook for a contact team in Manchester. I was looking for a way to meet new people and even though I had never played a contact sport before, I was excited by a new challenge!
HEROS
Who were your sporting heroes growing up?
Growing up and even today, Bethany Hamilton has been a hero. She is a highly talented and competitive surfer, who at a young age had her arm bitten off by a shark. Her journey didn’t stop there and her resilience and determination has always been inspiring.
Do you remember your first competition?
Absolutely! In all honesty, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I had borrowed all my equipment (including my cleats) from the more veteran players on the team. From the coaches to the players and everyone in between made me feel so comfortable and really helped me focus on what my jobs were on the day.
TRAINING
How often do you train?
I am in the gym about 6 days a week depending on when in the season we are. During the season we usually have 2 practices a week or a game and a practice. Then I adapt my workout sessions to accommodate appropriately.
Describe a typical training session…
A typical training session includes installing from our playbook to make sure we are all on the same page and allow for questions, warm ups as a team, then into individual periods where we split into our position specific groups. From there we start building up for contact so we may go into a run specific period, then into pass specific, building up to a scrimmage, and of course finishing in with a “breakdown” where everyone gets their hands in!
Which foods fuel your training?
When it comes to food, I am quite routine to maximize my training. For breakfast I always have porridge, with peanut butter (a staple of my diet), protein and a banana with blueberries. Lunch and dinner are pretty interchangeable and as I am a pescatarian, salmon or tuna fish are usually on the menu! Those paired with tons of veg, sweet potato and all the flavor make for a delicious meal. For snacks I of course love apples & peanut butter or rice crackers with a mix of toppings.
